Jorge Álvarez

Why do you like working for UNDP?

Knowing that I am in a position where I can generate change in the country and I can leave a legacy to my children – a country that is capable of facing the challenge of climate change.

Professionally speaking, I like the fact that I can share my experiences of working for the government, and that I am recognized as a national expert.

What’s the most memorable occasion when you saw the positive impact your work had on the people in the country where you’re based?

I am very proud of the good results the COP20 Project has achieved. The challenge is to fulfil the expectations created by the project and to translate them into a sustainable development agenda. The Peru Office is aware of this challenge and is committed to support the Peruvian State to achieve this goal. At a more personal level, I am proud to be the Programme Officer. It allows me to work with an excellent group of people who are focused on the same goal.

What are some of the challenges of working in a large international civil service organization like UNDP and how do you manage them?

Convincing people that we are on the wrong path. Being focused only on economic issues has made environmental issues become less relevant. We have grown up thinking that the planet and its resources are forever renewable, and we have reached a limit in which the world no longer has the ability to renew itself.

It is difficult for people to understand this situation. There are many who consider their impact on the environment as minimal and that we are only one among millions of people; but, unfortunately, all of this adds up and the planet can no longer sustain this. This is my biggest challenge.